Lever mechanism for multiple electrical connectors



T. BOWLING May 15, 1962 LEVER MECHANISM FOR MULTIPLE ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed April 3 INVENTOR.

TEAMUS BOWLING ms ATTORNEY United States The present invention relates to a multiple electrical connector and particularly to a lever mechanism for a multiple connector of the type having ten or more circuits capable of carrying a current of about 20 amperes and above.

The art of multiple electrical connectors is old and replete with patents covering designs used in many industries such as transportation, electric power generation and transmission, industrial and business machines, and aircraft, military and space vehicles. A problem arises when the electrical connectors are designed to carry relatively large electrical currents and the number of circuits joined by the connector increases as our technology becomes more complex. The higher the electrical load carried by the circuits, the larger the currentcarrying parts of the connector must be made. The mating contacts, whether they be pins and sockets or blades and spring clips, are made larger in size and with a tighter fit to provide a good electrical path between the joined conductors so as to avoid areas of high resistance in the circuits which might result in electrical arcing and premature failure. As the connectors become larger and the forces or connecting and separating the connector parts become greater, the likelihood of a poor electrical connection becomes more prevalent because of the physical difliculty in making the connection. This is due to the normal tendency of the electrician making the connection to become lax 'by not taking the trouble to insure a good electrical connection.

The principal object of the present invention is to design a multiple electrical connector with indexing means to insure the proper matching of the connector parts, there being a novel lever means cooperable with the indexing means for effecting both the connection and separation of the connector parts.

A further object of the present invention is to pr vide a quick-acting lever mechanism for effecting the closing and opening of a multiple electrical connector wherein a momentary visual inspection will verify whether the electrical connection has been made or not.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a multiple electrical connector with lever means that is always in a position to assist in the closing and opening of the connector to insure that the lever means will always be available for use whenever the connector parts are to be moved.

The present invention has been incorporated in a multiple electrical connector usable with an electric range for joining to the range a control cable from a remotely located control panel. Understandably, this invention should not be limited to such use at it is considered to have utility in many arts for making a quick electrical connection between multiple circuits where the connection is made by axial movement as distinguished from the branch of the art where screw threaded or bayonet slottype couplings are made between the mating parts.

The multiple electrical connector may be briefly described as comprising mating blocks of insulating material where each block supports a plurality of electrical contact means. These blocks are confined within housings that are adapted to telescope with each other when the electrical connection is being made. An indexing means is provided between the telescoping housings to insure the proper matching of the contact means of the atent "ice various connector blocks. A lever member is provided on one of the housings for cooperation with the indexing means of the other housing for efiecting the connection and separation of the electric contact means of the various connector blocks.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is an elevational view partly in cross-section showing in an open position an electrical connector embodying the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an angular view of the connector of FIGURE 1 taken above the connector to obtain a better understanding of the lever mechanism.

FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 2 except the connector has been moved to its closed position.

Turning now to a consideration of the drawing and in particular to FIGURE 1, there is shown a multiple electrical connector representing one embodiment of this invention. A multiple electrical connector will have two separable parts such as 11 and 12. Each part will include a mating block of molded insulating material such as blocks 13 and 14, respectively. Any good electrical insulating material that can be easily molded at low cost is acceptable, such as a phenolic resin. Each block is provided with a plurality of apertures such as 15 and 16 which are arraged parallel to each other and extend completely through the blocks. Each block 13 and 14 is shown as being cross-sectioned on a vertical plane taken through a group of three of the apertures 15 and 16, but it will be understood that the blocks 13 and 14 are much wider than they are tall so that these apertures 15 and 16 may be duplicated many times to give a total number of apertures on the order of 18, for example. This distinguishes this design from the connectors for two or three conductor cables commonly used for extension cords in the home, or power cords for portable electrical tools such as drills, sanders and saws.

Each aperture 15 and 16 is adapted to receive an electrical contact member. The apertures 15 of the insulating block 13 are each provided with a socket contact 17, while each aperture 16 of the other block 14 is provided with a contact blade 18 which is adapted to be inserted into the socket contacts 17 for making a good electrical connection. It will be understood by those skilled in this art that these contact members 17 and 18 are firmly held against displacement within the apertures 15 and 16, respectively; and that they are accurately aligned so that they do not interfere with the male" ing and breaking of the electrical circuits through these contact means. Also, these contact members are provided with terminal ends 19 so that lead wires 20 may be crimped, soldered or otherwise fastened to the contacts as is well understood in this art. The socket contacts 17 are completely enclosed within the insulating block 13, while the blades 18 of the male contacts in block 14 are somewhat exposed. However, the block 14 is provided with a peripheral extension 21 which shrouds the blades 18 so that the mating block 13 must fit into the extension 21 and be guided thereby when the electrical connection is being made. Accordingly the block 13 may be considered as the male block, while the larger block 14 may be considered as the female block.

Each connector block 13 and 14 is covered by a housing and preferably a metal housing such as 25 and 26, respectively. Housing 25 is formed in two mating parts, a top 27 and a bottom 28, which abut each other along a horizontal plane as at 29 which is slightly below the mid-height of the housing for reasons which will be explained hereinafter. Each half 27 and 23 of the housing 25 is provided with a wing-like member or flange 3G and 31, respectively, adjacent the horizontal plane 29 which coincide with each other along the abutting plane 29 so that fastening means 32 such as rivets or screws may extend through suitable openings in the flanges for holding the housing parts together. The connector block 13 is fastened within the housing 25 by use of a pair of retaining ribs 33 and 34 on the top and bottom thereof which are each captured within mating elongated slots 35 and 36, respectively, as is best seen in FIGURE 2.

The connector block 13 is not completely enclosed within the housing 25 but instead only the back portion is located therein. The back of the housing 25 converges into a cylindrical shape 37 to serve as a clamp means for a flexible conduit 38 that is attached to the housing when the housing parts 27 and 23 are fastened together so as to protect the conductors 24 which extend through the conduit 38 for connection with the contact members 17 within the connector block 13. Moreover, the metal housings 25 and 25 and the flexible metallic conduit 38 serve as an electrical grounding means for the appliance to which the housing 26 is connected. The grounding circuit extends back to the remote control panel (not shown) to which the conductors 2t? are connected so as to be in circuit with the power supply lead wires that are joined back to the electrical service entrance box as is well understood in this art.

The other. connector block or female block 14 is likewise covered by the housing 26 which is one-piece in construction and of generally hat-shape in transverse crosssection having a top wall 40, parallel side walls 41 and oppositely directed feet or flanges 42 extending from the lower end of the side walls 41. Hence, fastening means such as rivets or screws may attach the housing 26 to a stationary member 44 such as the back wall of an electric oven (not shown). The connector block 14 has a retaining rib 45 similar to the retaining ribs 33 and 34 of the male block 13. This rib 45 projects into an elongated slot 46 in the top wall of the housing 26 so that the block 14 may not move with respect to the housing. In actual practice the conductors 29 that lead from the back of the block 14 are brought through a suitable opening (not shown) in the support plate 44 and ametal wiring cover (not, shown) is to be fastened over the back of the housing 26. This cover servesto isolate the currentcarrying members so that a person may not come in con- .tact with them through inadvertence or negligence, and an electrical fire in the connector cannot spread.

From a study of the three figures of the drawing it should be clearthat the exposed front portion of the male block 13 is capable of insertion into the peripheral extension or shroud 21 of the female block 14. Likewise, the housing 25 for the male block 13 is capable of sliding into the larger housing 26 for the female block 14.

. The electrical connection made between each socket contact 17 and its contact blade 18 requires something on the order of five pounds of force. If these, contacts are multiplied in number to a total of fifteen or eighteen connections the total force necessary to make the connection is considerable.

Next to beidescribed is a lever mechanism for effecting the connection and separation of the two connector blocks. The combined flanges 39 and 31 of the smaller housing 25 representan indexing means that is associated with elongated slots 48 in the edges of the opposite side walls 41 of the larger housing 40. As mentioned previously the flanges 3t and 31 abut each other on a horizontal plane that is below the mid-height of the housing 25 and it will be understoodthat the slots 48 of the larger housing 26 are likewise lowered so that the male connector block 13 can be inserted in only one way into the female block 14. r

One of the housings 25 or 26 is provided 'with a lever for engagement with the other housing to provide a meing against the abutments.

' and scope of this invention as claimed.

chanical advantage to facilitate the connection and disconnection of the two connector blocks. In the drawing, the larger housing 26 is supplied with the lever mechanism in the form of a wire member 50 having a handle '51 at its central portion, pivot portions 52 and '53- at each side of the handle, and downwardly extending side arms 54 at the two extremities thereof for making engagement with the flanges 3t} and 31 of the smaller housing 25. The pivot portions 52 and 53 of the lever are limited to rotational movement by lancings 55 struck out of the top wall 40 of the larger housing 26. These lancings 55 are folded in opposite directions to serve as bearings around which the lever is allowed to rotate. These lancings tightly engage the pivot portions of the lever to provide enough friction so that the lever will be held in any position in its swing of travel once the hand is removed therefrom. This explains what holds the lever 51 in its raised position as shown in FIGURE 1.

There are two additional features added to the side walls 41 of the larger housing 26 to exert forces against the side arms 54 of the lever 50. One such feature is an outwardly extending lancing 56 arranged above the slot 48 near the front edge of the housing to serve as a stop plate to limit the angle of swing of the lever and insure that the side arms 54 will always be in a position to engage the flanges 30 and 31 of the smaller housing 25 when the two insulating blocks 13 and 14 are separated. Another feature is an outward embossrnent 57 which serves as a detent over which the side arms 54 must ride when entering or leaving the finally locked position of the connector shown in FIGURE 3. This insures that a casual or inadvertent force may not serve to detach the connector blocks so that a positive force is necessary.

Considering now the smaller housing 25, its side flanges 30 and 31 are notched out as at 59 to form a locking ear 60 and an upwardly extending abutment 61 spaced rearwardly of the ear. During the connection of the two blocks 13 and 14, the male block 13 is'fiISt moved into engagement with the other block 14. This positions the notch 59 of the smaller housing 25 below the ends of the side arms 54 of the lever. The next step is to grasp the handle 51 of the lever and force it down until it lies flat against the top wall 40 of the larger housing 26 as is shown inFIGURE 3. In so doing, the side arms 54 engage the locking ears 60 and exert a force tending to move the smaller housing 25 into the larger housing 26. When the handle 51 is moved in the opposite direction, from the position of FIGURE 3 back to the position of FIGURE 1, the side arms 54 of the lever will engage the abutments 61 and disconnect the contact members of the'two insulating blocks 13 and 14 by push- It is well to note that if by accident the lever were moved into its locking position before the smaller housing 25 is in place the contact members of the two blocks 13 and 14 would not be able to engage each other and there would be no force exerted on the smaller housing 25 to hold it in place and it would naturally fall out of the larger housing 26. Hence, this design is believed to be foolproof and reliable in operation as well as rugged in construction so as to be capable of withstanding heavy abuse during the manufacture and shipment of the product to which it is attached.

Other modifications of this invention will occur to those skilled in this art and it is to be'understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed but that it is intended to cover all modifications which are within the true spirit What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A multiple electrical connector comprising mating blocks of insulating material, each block supporting a plurality of electrical contact means, each of said blocks being supported in a metal housing, one housing being relatively small and capable of sliding partially into the other or larger housing, the said larger housing having a slot formed in the edge of each of the opposite side Walls, the smaller housing having wing-like flange members extending outwardly from its opposite side walls to serve as a mating indexing means with the said slots when the smaller housing is inserted into the larger housing, and lever means pivotably supported from the exterior of the larger housing, said lever means having at least one extremity for engagement with the wing member of the smaller housing, the wing member including a locking ear which is engaged by the extremity of the lever means so that the movement of the lever means will force the smaller housing to move into the larger housing for making an electrical connection between the contact means of the mating blocks, said wing member also including a raised tab behind the locking ear for engagement with the extremity of the lever means for pivoting it closed when the smaller housing is being inserted into the larger housing to insure that the lever cannot be bypassed if the mating blocks are to be joined, the reverse movement of the lever bringing the extremity against this raised tab for separating the blocks.

2. A multiple electrical connector as recited in claim 1 wherein both Wing members of the smaller housing include the locking ear and raised tabs, the said lever means being represented by a bail-like member having side arms extending along the sides of the larger housing for engagement with the locking ears and raised tabs of the smaller housing, said larger housing including stop means to limit the swinging action of the side arms of the lever means to insure that said side arms will always be in a position to engage the raised tab when the two housings are assembled together, and detent means in the form of raised embossments formed on the side walls of the larger housing for cooperation with the side arms of the lever means to assist in preventing a casual force from moving the lever means out of position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,183,516 Anderson May 16, 1916 2,217,496 Riley Oct. 8, 1940 2,595,949 Karlsson May 6, 1952 2,987,693 Wamsley June 6, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 974,126 France Sept. 27, 1950 

